A Herculean Night for Salamanders

The Salamander Crossing

1On rainy nights in early spring, spotted salamanders crawl out of the woods near Rafael's house. They head for a small pool in the forest, where they lay their eggs. The trouble is that a road runs between the woods and the pool. This year, Rafael and his older sister Bea signed up to help the salamanders cross.

2"Carry each salamander across in the same direction it was walking," said Ms. Achebe, the leader from the nature center. She handed them flashlights and a bucket of clean water for wetting their hands. "Tonight will be a Herculean task. There may be more salamanders than we can count."

3At first, Rafael thought the job would be easy. Then the rain began to pour. Soon salamanders seemed to be everywhere, black with bright yellow spots, wiggling slowly over the wet road. Rafael scooped them up with damp hands, one after another, until his back ached and his sneakers squished.

4"Think about it," Bea said as she set one down in the leaves. "For a salamander, crossing this road is a whole odyssey. They walk all the way from their burrows, past logs and roots, to reach the pool." Rafael carried the next one even more gently.

5Near midnight, Rafael spotted a big flat rock beside the road. He bent down to lift it and look for more salamanders, but Ms. Achebe shook her head. "Leave the rocks alone," she said. "Moving them can open a Pandora's box of trouble. You could squash an animal hiding underneath or wreck its home." Rafael set the rock back down carefully.

6When the rain finally slowed, Rafael was soaked from his hood to his socks, and his arms felt like noodles. Ms. Achebe looked at the long list of tally marks on her clipboard and grinned. "That was a titanic effort," she said. "Your work tonight made a real difference." Walking home, Rafael felt as tall as a Titan.